Closure for receptacles.



T. B. BRADFORD.

CLOSURE FOR BEGEPTAGLES. I APPLICATION EILED MAR. 19, 1909.

Patented Sept. 7, 1909.

i w wdm-il-E x Z l l y v d w M r B m UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THAIDDEUS BOGLE BRADFORD, Q MOH ONGAI-IELA,PENNSYLVANIA.

CLOSURE FOR RECEP'I'ACLES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THADDnUs BOGLE BRADFORD, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Monongahela, in the county of Washington and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Closures for Receptacles, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to closures for receptacles, as boxes, cans and bottles, and the invention relates more particularly to a device for supporting closures in an open position and locking the same when closed.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a receptacle with a resilient lid supporting member, adapted to support the lid in an open position, and thereby permit of easy access being had to the interior of the receptacle, or the contents of the receptacle removed therefrom.

Another object of this invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive lid supporting device that can be locked in a closed position to positively seal the lid upon the receptacle, thereby preventing evaporation of the contents of the receptacle and foreign matter from entering the same.

A. further object of this invention is to provide a combined lid support and lock that can be advantageously used in connection with bottles, fruit jars-cans and boxes adapted to contain liquids and solids. The support and lock can also be advantageously used to facilitate the opening of heavy lids, as the lids of refrigerators and chests, it being a well known fact that in a great many instances, such lids must be held in an open position, while the contents of a refrigerator or chest are removed.

The above objects are attained by a device that will be hereinafter described in detail, and then specifically pointedout in the appended claims, and reference will now be had to the drawing forming part of this application, wherein there is illustrated the preferred embodiments of the invention, but it is to be understood that the structural'details thereof can be varied or changed without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an end view of a portion of the refrigerator having the lid thereof equipped with my device, Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of a portion of the refrig Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 19, 1999.

Patented Sept. 7, 1909 Serial No. 484,407.

erator showing the lid in an open position, Fig. 3 is an elevation of a portion of'a milk bottle equipped with the device, Figs. 4 and 5 are elevations of oil cans equipped with the device, Figs. 6 and 7 are similar views of ink, paint and paste bottles equipped with the device, Fig. 8 is a plan of a mucilage bottle equipped with the device, Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the'wire'yoke designed for glass receptacles and fruit ars,and Fig. 10 is an elevation of a portion of a metallic band showing the modified form of spring.

The reference numeral 1 designates a portion of a refrigerator or box having a lid 2. The rear side of the refrigerator 1 is provided with staples 3, located adjacent to the sides of the refrigerator. Loosely connected to the staples 3 are resilient metallic straps or members 4, said straps or members being fastened to the lid 2 by eyebolts 5 located centrally of the lid adjacent to the ends thereof. The straps or members 4 are bent upon a compound curve, with the forward ends of said straps or members hookshaped, as at 6 to engage in keepers 7, carried by the front side of the refrigerator. In connection with each strap or member a spring 8 is used, said spring being fastened to the rear side to a refrigerator 1 by an anvil staple 9, and extending through the staple 3 to the eyebolt 5, where the end of said spring is fastened. The springs 8 are bowed sufiiciently whereby the tension of said springs will immediately open the lid 2 when the hook-shaped ends 6 of the members 4 are released, said spring supporting .the lid in an open position, as shown in dotted lines of Fig. 1.

In Fig. 3 of the drawings, I have illustrated a portion of a bottle 10 as having the neck thereof provided with a detachable strap 11, said strap carrying the necessary staples and keeper for supporting one of the members 4 and one of the springs 8 to which the lid or closure 12 of the bottle is connected. The same arrangement with elements is shown in connection with the bottles illustrated in Figs. 6 to 8 inclusive.

When the device is used in connection with a can, a staple 13 can be soldered upon one side of the can and a keeper 14 upon the opposite side. One of the straps 4 can then be used, and in lieu of the spring 8, a small yoke-shaped spring 15 can be used, said spring engaging the strap 4 and having the ends thereof wound around the staple 13 and placed in engagement with the top of the can, whereby the tension or the spring will always be sufficient to open the lid of the can, when the strap 4 is released.

From the foregoing description, it willbe seen that I have devised a novel device for opening closures of various kinds of receptacles, said device being in connection with a keeper serving functionally as a lock -for the closure.

In Fig. 9 of the drawings, I have illustrated a wire yoke 18 that can be fitted upon glass fruit jars or earthenware recptacles,

said yoke being clamped upon a receptacle by a pin 19 serving functionally as a pivot pin for the metallic member 1. The yoke is also bent to provide a keeper 20.

A modified form of spring that can be used in connection with the member 4 is shown in Fig. 10, wherein the spring encircles the staple 3 and has one end bearing against the member 4 while the opposite end bears against the band 11 supporting said staple.

, Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, isz

1;. In a closure devlce, the combination with a receptacle and a 11d, of a staple carbe pivomliy co nected to the receptacle and its other end thereof adapted. to be detach ably connected to the receptacle, 'a-sjpring extending over and upon said lid and adapted to have one end pivotall'y connected to the V receptacle and means for securing the other end of said spring and said member intermediate its ends to the top of said lid at a 7 point removed from the edge of the lid.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

THADDEUS BUGLE BRADFORD.

VVit'nesses';

A. RABsAe, A. J. TRIGG. 

